Dreamy Encounters
by Benjilabu
Summary: Rin's first encounter with the rest of the girls, Kenji and Hisao. From her internal point of view.
1. Chapter 1 : Sky in her eyes

Sky. Perfect. The only perfect thing. Today it looks different. Like every other day. I'm watching it sideways, then upside-down. Try to get a new perspective.

Roof is empty. Emi is late. Maybe she forgot me. Her head is filled with bubblegum. But I'm a bit hungry now.

The door. Here she is. I didn't see any butterfly around here. I should paint one. Oh, it isn't her.

Two people, must be girls since they wear skirts. But I don't and I am one, so you never know. They didn't notice me.

This one is tall, she has a cane. I wonder why. Is she a paranoid person who hits people with it? She hits the ground with it many times. The other one is clenched to her arm. I wonder how it feels to have someone clenched to my arm. Is it like a hug? I can't hug, like butterflies. Or fishes. Hugs ability isn't given to everyone. They sit on a bench.

Oh wait. They have food. I'm hungry. And I wonder why they're here. I stand up and slowly walk towards them. The food looks good. The blonde girl tilts her head like she has a question.

"Is someone here?" she says.

The other girl (now that I'm close I see that they're really girls, with more chest than Emi. Or me for that matter) jumps when she notices me. She was looking at the ground. That's not interesting, the sky is much better to look at. Maybe it's her perspective.

"Y-Yes Lilly... Someone..." She looks at me. She has only one eye. Is that her disability? Or that she can't talk normally. I look at her. She seems to not like it. Oh wait, she has an eye hidden behind her hair.

"Well, good afternoon." says the cane girl. She opens her eyes... Ooooh. Her eyes... are blue, exactly like the sky. Totally blue. I'm sure that if I looked closely I could see clouds. She makes me want to paint. Her eyes are fascinating, I stare at them for a bit. Oh, maybe I could answer. Emi told me it was rude to not say hello.

"How can you be sure it is good?" I ask. Is that polite? But her statement was questionable. She giggles. Not like Emi though. Less annoying.

"Well, for now I'd take the risk to say it is quite good. Pleased to meet you, I am Lilly Satou and here's my friend, Hanako Ikezawa."

She is calm, that changes from Emi. The other girl looks like her legs are on fire though.

"I'm Tezuka. Rin Tezuka. Tezuka Rin."

The sky-eyed girl smiles. The other... wait. What's that on her face? And on her hand? She has a mosaic on her. Interesting. It's like she was half-cooked. I'm even more hungry thinking about that.

"Care to take a seat, Miss Tezuka?" says the cane girl. I want to see her eyes again but she closed them. I sit on the ground in front of them, still lacking food. I look at their bentos with interest.

"U...Um... y-you don't have any food?" asks the half-cooked girl.

She's observant.

"You're observant. I have not. My friend forgot me. I'm hungry."

The calm girl giggles again. "I am sure we could share. Would you like some rice?"

"Yes. No. Yes. I do... I'd like." I try this politeness thingy, but it's hard.

The girl smiles and hands me some rice. She's not really observant, not like her friend. I stay still, waiting for her to realize. But it's the other who talks, still stuttering. How annoying.

"Um... L-Lilly... She..."

"What is it Hanako?"

"Tezuka... S-She can't take the bowl..."

"Oh?"

This girl is really slow to understand so I help her.

"I have no arms."

She seems surprised and bows her head quickly.

"Oh I'm really sorry! Please forgive my bluntness. I couldn't see that you had... (she cuts herself. They both have issues with talking it seems) Well, how should I do?"

"Just put it on the ground. I'll manage."

Still surprised, she does it. I kick my sandals and starts eating, looking at the sky. I'd like a nap...

"So, in which class are you, Tezuka?" asks the non-observant girl. I don't like questions, but this one I can answer.

"2-4."

"Oh, you're a second-year too." She smiles and seems to not have anything to add. We eat. They both interest me now that my stomach is full. I ask.

"So, why are you here, Satou?"

"We thought we could use some fresh air. This spot is enjoyable on days like this."

"No, I mean why you're in this school. What brought you to Yamaku?"

She frowns a bit. Did I upset her? My question is sincere. I collect people and I want them.

"... As you can probably see, I am blind. So this school fits my condition."

Oh. That's why her eyes are like this. She can't see them, too bad. She's like that boy from the art club. A bit interesting, but not too much.

"Oh, I thought your disability was to like to hit people with your cane. How disappointing."

She laughs a bit. "Sorry to disappoint you."

The other one didn't say a word, she looks at her feet. I speak to her.

"And you? Do you have a problem with your feet?"

She almost panicks. It's like she was elsewhere. I know that sensation.

"W-What?! No!"

The blind girl frowns again. Did I do something wrong? Better not talk about her feet again.

"So, were you an adventurer who was cooked by cannibals but managed to escape? I like to guess. That would be very scandalous." I smile, proud of my idea. She stands up.

"N-No! Why... I've got something to do!" She dashes as fast as Emi and leaves the roof. Oh. She wants to use the toilet. Probably. The other girl starts to stand up, then nods, sits down and sighs.

"Miss Tezuka, could we talk a bit?" She points the empty seat next to her so I stand up quickly and sit next to her.

"Call me Rin. Our relationship is at a level that can afford this."

She laughs a bit. "Then call me Lilly, Rin."

She stops talking a bit and I look at her eyes again.

"Rin, if I may say, do please be careful around Hanako."

I'm hypnotized by them.

"I like it when you open your eyes."

She giggles weirdly, like Emi did when she had to deal with my period for the first time. Her face was interesting back then.

"Sorry?"

"They're like the sky. Like it was trapped in them. Sky is the only thing that is perfect. But you have it in you. Are you perfect?"

Is she blushing? Does she think I'm secretly a romantic boy? She'd be disappointed.

"I... I don't think I am, but that's nice of you to say." She waves her hand before her face. I can't do that. She talks again.

"But you dodged the subject."

"I didn't even move." This person is strange. She sighs.

"Please don't be direct like that with Hanako. She... doesn't like it."

"Oh. Was the feet thing the problem?"

"... Not really. Your joke was."

This time I'm the one surprised.

"I never joke."

She frowns. I'm not good at answering again.

"Well this was quite rude then. I would suggest that you don't talk to her again."

That I can do.

"Oh okay. Do you paint?"

"I'm afraid I don't. Do you?"

"No. Yes. There's this boy."

"Where?"

"Art club. Maybe not right now since it's lunch."

"My my, art club? That's wonderful."

Hers hers? She really talks funnily.

"He's blind. So he can't see."

"... Indeed."

"But he's here."

"Here?"

"Yes."

"Could you develop Rin? I'm starting to loose track..."

"He paints. Because he can't. It's interesting."

She thinks a bit then talks.

"That is interesting Rin, indeed. Do blind people interest you?"

"Interesting people interest me. That's why I ask questions."

She smiles again. She does it more than Emi, thought it was impossible. She looks like one of those porcelain dolls. Dead things with eyes. Creepy.

"Then you should be more careful with your questions."

"I'm not good with people."

"Smart as you are, I'm sure you have good friends."

"Wrong. Everyone says that I'm light-headed an nonsensical. Can I look at your eyes?"

She's surprised again.

"I don't see why not. You're quite direct, aren't you?"

I say nothing and look at her eyes closely. My face is almost touching hers. These eyes...

She blushes a bit after a moment and breaks the silencer.

"Would that be enough?"

"No. A bit more."

After a while, lunch bell rings. Lilly backs up and stands up.

"Oh my, I lost track of the time. I must head back. Shall we go?"

"No. I'll stay here. Need to do something."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. Do you?"

"Hmm... I must go now. Until we meet again, Rin."

"Your eyes... I like them, Lilly."

She makes a strange face and walks away.

She doesn't understand me. She never will. She couldn't even look at my paintings. That face she made... I know it. I creep her out, like everyone else. I lay on the ground.

The sky... Those eyes...

I need to paint.


	2. Chapter 2 : Moving hands

I'm a giant butterfly. In the sky. Other butterflies. They are the same as me. They try to be seen, to be understood, but they're just hidden in the mass. We go through fluffy orange clouds. It feels good. I feel alive. I feel...

SLAM!

I open my eyes. Two people just entered. They seem to be girls.

"Were you sleeping on the table, Miss?"

The one who talked is frowning, hands on her hips. She has long, messy and brown hair. That's why I avoid long hair. It's a pain in the butt. Literally for me. Why is she upset? Then I notice the other one. She's waving her hands around like a maniac. Is she crazy or what? I wonder what her disability is. She has blue hair, blue like when it's night, but not entirely. Shorter. She seems angry. What's weird is that she doesn't say a thing.

The other one starts moving her hands too. What are they doing? I tilt my head. Do people with hands do that and they've been hiding it from me? Oh, I didn't speak either.

"I was."

The brown-hair girl moves her hands with less rythm than her colleague, who gets even more angry and does the same. I look away, bored. I just wanted to sleep... I should leave them at their orchestral thing.

The girl talks again.

"It's against the regulations! You can't just sleep in an empty classroom like this."

"But I just did... And it isn't empty since I'm here. Or is it? It surely isn't now that you're here."

They're annoying, even the one that doesn't talk. The brown-haired girl moves her hands erratically and talks again after her friend's... answer? She's loud...

"Classrooms aren't meant for that anyway! You could get in trouble."

She then grins widely.

"Wahahaha! You're a funny one, aren't you? What's your name?"

Wow, it seems like she just changed personality between the sentences. Is she like a... I don't know what. Now she's just loud and all smiling, a bit like Emi. Even louder. The other one is still not talking. Nor smiling. I don't like her. She seems like someone hurtful. Perhaps I should answer.

"I'm Rin. Rin Tezuka."

"Nice to meet you, delinquent Tezuka! I'm Misha Mikado, and this is Shizune Hakamichi, or Shicchan! You can call us Misha and Shizune, we don't mind, really! Wahahaha!"

What was funny about that? But I'm bad with jokes.

"Then call me Rin. I guess." I turn to face Shizune. "Why don't you talk? Is that your disability?"

The girl still doesn't say anything. I'm good at guessing, so I am probably right. Misha moves her hands after I talked, slowly. Then Shizune does the same quickly. Misha talks again.

"Wahaha! You're quite direct,aren't you? But yes, I am deaf, and by "I", I mean Shicchan! She's deaf and mute, so I'm her interpreter even if I'm still a bit too slow for her! Wahahaha... She says that your disability is kinda obvious too, Rin!"

Oh. "She's observant then. So that's why you both move your hands stupidly like this?"

Misha's smile drops for maybe half a second.

"It's not stupid, silly! It's sign language! A perfect way to communicate for deaf people! Wahahaha!"

After, she signs, probably what she just said, to Shizune, who nods, smiling. I wonder...

"Is there any foot sign language?"

Misha signs, looking confused.

"No there isn't, Rin, I'm sorry... But I'm still here if you wanna talk with Shicchan! Wahahaha!"

I don't even know which one is talking. It's confusing. I'd like to sleep... Oh. I won't be able to ever communicate with her then. At least she still can see my paintings. But I don't know if I want her to see them. She scares me.

"Rin! We're both from the Student Council!"

She's smiling again. And still talking so loud. She is like a hyper Emi. Like a giant bug you would want to smash sometimes. Maybe. I shrug.

"It's the place where everything is decided! We are here to make sure everyone is having fun and to organize everything! It's a lot of work, Rin!"

She frowns. I don't care... Everything can be decided as it wants, I am not into it.

"I guess you're in the art club?"

I am surprised this time.

"How can you know? Are you a mind reader?! What an unique disability!"

She looks confused again.

"No, silly! This is the art club room, only used by art club members! Shicchan guessed that you were one then!"

Oh. Disappointing.

"I am."

"Wahaha! Really? What do you do?"

I shrug. "Paint. Drawing."

They look at each other. This time I am pretty sure what they are wondering about.

"You can ask. I won't probably get mad."

Misha translates and Shizune looks at me with interest. I don't like her gaze.

"So~ How do you paint with no arms?"

"Feet."

The conversation stops for a moment and I look around, bored. I don't know if I want to paint or sleep. Maybe both. Sleep-painting. Never tried that.

"Wooow that'simpressive! Hey, Rin, we were wondering..." She grins widely.

I just look back at them, saying nothing. Fire your gun. I'm ready.

"Since we saw you doing something il-le-gal? (she seems to stumble on the word Shizune is waving around) and we represent authority, we could tell on you! Oooor~... You could help us! I'm sure we could forgive you."

What? Help them? They are really weird.

"I don't want to be forgiven."

"Aaaw... Come on, Rin! Just a little hand, we need it!" She frowns. A hand, uh?

"Why are you in Yamaku, Misha?" I want to know that. She seems surprised.

"What? Nothing special! I chose here because I was interested by the school and they have sign language classes! Wahahaha!"

"Oh." Not interesting. At all. These two are boring.

"So! Come with us to the Student Council room! It'll be fun fun fun!"

I don't want to... But I feel like I won't escape them. Shizune glaring behind Misha doesn't help. She looks like a dog waiting to attack. Or a bull. A bull, yes. Blue bull. Maybe I could paint that.

"Oh. Why not?"

So, we walk. They stay on each side of me, like they are fearing that I might run away.

"It's here, Rin, come on!"

We enter. The room is full of wood and what seems like a bunch of stalls. Guess they are really working here.

"Lilly isn't here today, so we're just two, that's why we need help, Rin!"

Lilly? Never heard of that name. But memory is tricky.

"I can't build stalls." Using a hammer seems a bit too hard for me. Never learnt anyway.

They sign again.

"No, silly! Since you're an artist, you could decorate the stalls with paint. They'd look very pretty and we'd make more money! Wahahahaha!"

...

"I don't have any paint on me."

They look at each other.

"Oh right! Misha is so dumb! Wait, I'm Misha..."

What was that? My head hurts. Just want to finish this already.

"Uh... Which colors do you want? We'll get them for you!"

I shrug.

"Anything is fine. I need some brushes too. Please."

They nod and go. They seem pretty friendly, but I don't like how Shizune looks at me, like she was evaluating me. If she could talk, she would be a hurtful person. That's what I think.

They come back eventually with five or six cans and brushes, so I kick my sandals and start working. They observe for a moment.

"Wow, Rin! How can you do that? My back would be sooo painful after this!"

I shrug. "I just do it. That's what I do. Painting. I can do that."

"Wahahaha! You're awesome! I wanna try!"

And there she is, sitting beside me and trying. Why would she bother doing that? Then again, it feels kind of nice. She doesn't manage to pick a brush. Shizune starts working on the computer, not interested.

"Aaaaaw that's hard! And my back hurts, as I said! You're so strong, Rin! Wahaha!"

Stop laughing, please...

"I don't mind. But thanks, I guess."

She nods and stands up, joining "Shicchan" while I paint. Time passes. I don't know how much. I tried things on the stalls. Painting feels good.

The girls tap my shoulder. They're carrying drinks. Misha puts it on the ground.

"For your hard work, it's my treat! I mean, Shicchan's treat!"

I nod and sip. They look at the stalls and their eyes widen.

"Wow... That's... uh, very special, Rin... What is this? A goldfish?"

"No, a dragon."

They continue asking questions and I'm getting annoyed. I just paint. Paintings explain themselves. It's already a way of talking, like sign language, so it's pointless to talk about it. Maybe it was pointless to talk about sign language either. After that, they speak.

"That's... very original, Rin. Thanks for your hard work! Wahaha! You're free now!"

Good. I stand up and start walking to the door.

"But~ We could hang out. What do you say? Are you hungry?"

Yes.

"I am. But I want to sleep first."

"Aaaaw... Okay... See you, Rin... And don't sleep on desks again!"

"I'll try. Bye, Misha, Shizune."

I leave and head to the art room. I need another nap. They were... kind of interesting, but still annoying. And they didn't understand my paintings. Their faces... It's like they regretted to ask me for help.

People hurt, even when they don't intend to.


	3. Chapter 3 : Friends?

**Hi, sorry for the delay but now I'm back and definitely going to finish this. With this chapter Rin's encounters with the other shoujos will be done, and Kenji and Hisao will remain. Please review.**

It's raining outside. Clouds are merged in one big cloud. Is it the king of the clouds ? My nose touches the window. I like rain. It makes everything less real. Blurry, like my thoughts.

I turn back. This is my room, unless something happens. For now, it is. I should put painting on the walls. Or... why not paint the walls ? Could be good. Mom and Dad unpacked my things and left this morning. Told me « good luck ». I don't know if I need any luck, or am lucky anyway. Is being here a lucky thing ? I just chose it randomly, don't know why. Maybe the people here will be more interesting than the others.

I look at the window again. Knock knock. King of the clouds... Knock knock. Guess I have a visitor. It's a loud knock. I walk to the door and open it.

« Hi ! »

A person with a skirt. Probably a girl, even if she's flat. She is short and her voice a bit too loud.

I don't like skirts much. I can't do anything without getting stared at, so I wear trousers. Mom and Dad told the owners of the school to give me a boy's uniform. It's a bit tight, but better than a skirt, I think.

« Hello? Someone there? » She giggles.

She's grinning widely, wonder why. I never thought I was a funny person. She has long hair with a ponytail. I look behind me.

« No. Unless I'm the someone you're asking about, but in that case, I'm here. »

She raises an eyebrow. « … Sorry ?" She giggles again. "Silly, I asked that because you weren't HERE, you know? You were dazing off and everything ! »

I look at her for a bit, then looks at the wall. Should paint it...

« So uh... I noticed we were in the same class, and neighbors, so I thought I could introduce myself! That's normal, isn't it ? »

I shrug. « I'm not very good with normality. But okay. »

I let her in. She enters and looks around curiously. Her legs are doing a weird noise. They look weird, actually.

« Your room looks nice ! Not much decoration, but mine is the same ! Can't do much on our first day. »

She seems stuck on smile mode. Creepy. Or nice. Not sure.

« My name is Emi Ibarazaki. Nice to meet you ! »

« Why are your legs making a funny noise ? »

Her smile drops. « Well, uh... Okay (she sighs), I have the same... problem as you. »

I am surprised. « You mean you can't peel oranges ? »

« No, silly : I have no legs. Like you have... no arms. »

Oh.

« But you are standing. »

She smiles and removes one of her socks. There is a metal thing under it. Interesting.

« Oh, fake legs. »

« Yes ! And may I know your name ? You aren't very polite, aren't you ? » She giggles again.

I shrug. Finding words is hard enough, trying the politeness is too much for me to handle.

« I'm Rin. Rin Tezuka. Can't shake hands, but guess we know each other now. »

She beams. « Rin ! That's a nice name. I wonder if they made us neighbors because of our disabilities... »

I look at her, semi-interested. She keeps talking, fast.

« I mean, put us together and we form a complete human being ! »

« No. We would have two heads. It would be a mess. »

She frowns. « You got the idea, Rin ! Don't play stupid. »

I don't like games, I am not playing.

« And we'd have four boobs too. Although... »

I look at her chest. More like two and a half boobs... She seems to get it, given the face she makes. I smile.

« Hey ! » She pouts for a second. She really looks like a child when she does this. She's not tall either. I wonder if she does a thing she can't do, like me. Then she smiles again.

« Say, Rin... »

« Rin. »

« … Damn, you are silly. I saw you in classes today. You weren't listening at all ! »

I wasn't? Classes bore me. The teachers keep talking and talking, like this girl. Buzzing like insects.

« There was a cloud. Teacher was boring. »

« That's no good ! »

She then gets closer and winks. « I wasn't listening much either ! »

And giggles again.

« I mean, come on, it's our first day ! Excitation takes over studying ! »

« I am not excited, Emi."

I feel like our relationship is at first name level.

"You should be. Bad Rin!"

She frowns and glares at me. I don't see the problem. I look at the window, watching the rain falling. Emi pauses and looks in the same way.

"Hmph. Stupid weather for a first day!"

"Is rain stupid?"

"Uh? Eh, no… I mean, rain isn't alive. But the fact that it's raining is stupid!"

She seems confused. She is the one saying confusing things though.

I shrug. "I like rain, even if it's stupid. Maybe I'm stupid."

I've been told that a few times, after all.

She frowns. "But because of it, I couldn't check the track!"

"Why?"

"Because it's raining, and I don't have an umbrella. Do you… oh, sorry…" She looks at my arms with embarassment. I have an umbrella, though. Everyone can have one.

"Just imagine you have one."

She looks at me funnily. "But that won't stop it!"

"Just imagine harder."

She pauses, then smiles, giggling. "I may try someday. So you like walking in the rain with your imaginary umbrella?"

"Yes."

"Hmm?"

"Yes, I do."

She seems curious. "Why, Rin?"

"Because it feels like walking in a painting. Everything fades away. Everything seems from another world. Maybe a world I know better." I shrug again.

She smiles widely. "Oh, Rin! That's so pretty! Never considered rain like that… Hey, finally you talk! I was afraid I was disturbing you." She pauses. "I'm not, am I?"

She is my first visitor, and she doesn't seem hurtful, like most people. "You aren't."

"Great! So, painting uh? Do you… paint, Rin?" She looks at my arms again.

"It's a thing I can do, yes." Maybe the only one.

"But how…" She interrupts herself.

"Ask. I won't get mad."

"How do you paint? With your mouth?"

"Sometimes. But more with my feet."

Her eyes widen. "Ooooh, that's amazing! You'll have to show me."

I look at the walls again. I wonder if the king of clouds is still there… Wait, did she talk about the track?

"Why did you want to see the track?" I hope her reasons are interesting. Or scandalous. Or both.

She jumps a couple of times and grins. "I'm a runner!"

Okay, interesting. "How do you run with no legs?"

"My prosthetics are made especially for it! Well not these ones (she points at them), I have another pair!"

I never wanted any prosthetics because I don't need them, but obviously she couldn't run on her hands.

"So, you run." I look at her.

"Yes! Wanna join? You must have some good muscles since you do everything with your legs!"

"I never run. It would hurt my feet and I prefer to paint."

She grins. "I see! As long as you have something, that's cool, uh?"

Cool? I don't think anyone has called something I did cool in a long time. I shrug. She talks too loudly…

"I have something." Yes, something. She thinks for a moment and talks again.

"So, I guess I'll see you around, Rin! I'm glad to be your neighbor."

"You shouldn't try to predict the future, Emi." I close my eyes. I need sleep.

"I'm sure I can try! I'm not afraid of the future! Later!"

She exits, closing the door with energy. What a strange person…

Morning. I don't remember my dreams much, but I think I was running at some point.

Dressing myself is hard. Panty and socks are okay, trouser is a bit more complicated to close, but bra and shirt are a pain. Mom used to help me with them, but she isn't here now… Stupid bra… Oh, I'm calling dead things stupid, like she did. Is that stupid?

Knock knock.

A few seconds after the last knock, the door opens, revealing an energetic, still as flat Emi.

"Hiiii Rin! I thought we could… uh?"

She stops and stares at me, struggling with my bra in my mouth. She seems to be about to laugh, but she doesn't.

"Ow, you should have called me!"

She immediately comes nearby and helps me putting my bra on. I look at her face. She is focused and serious while doing it.

I give an explanation. "I'm bad with shirts and bras."

She grins and grabs my shirt. "Then I'll help you, silly!"

We walk in the corridor together. I have to paint today, find an art room, chamber, something. I heard there was one. Emi seems happy.

"I ran before coming to your room! It felt good."

I could paint a cloud king.

"We should go to classes together every morning, since I'm gonna help you getting dressed!" She adds.

"Why?"

She jabs my shoulder. "That's what friends are for, Rin!" And she laughs.

What is… Why am I smiling? Friends? She sees me and smiles more.

Maybe I was lucky, after all.


End file.
